PAW 8

For this week’s picture, I decided to do a little backyard “hunting”; that is, I used my G12 in macro mode to shoot critters.  This is the one I liked best.  Exposure was 1/200 second at f4 and ISO 800.  Shot in Aperture mode at mid-zoom.  The RAW image file was processed in Adobe Camera Raw.  This image is about half the uncropped scene.

PAW 7

According to my rules – which are made up as I go along – I’m still meeting my goal of a picture a week (PAW).  This picture was taken yesterday and today was a travel day. 

This picture was taken with the Canon 7D and 70-200mm lens at 85mm, ISO 200, f2.8 and 1/1000 second.  It was shot in RAW + JPEG but cropped and processed from the RAW image.  The processing mostly consisted of increasing contrast and letting the dark tones go darker. 

Popular Posts

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Just changed the "Popular Posts" to be based on the past thirty days instead of "all time" and added a sixth post.  By definition, it might take a while for the results to change.
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PAW 6

 

Junk, I suppose, and clutter as well but I like it.

Shot with the G12 in RAW mode with manual exposure of f5.6 at 1/500 second using ISO 80.  Getting the exposure right took a few tries because the G12 was willing to overexpose the bright white wall in favor of the shadow areas but I was not. 

Even though I was without a tripod, I attempted to get an HDR version of this scene by using auto bracketing.  I’m also making a print of this one.

More Tweaks

It seems that, unlike the Blogger editor, images uploaded using Live Writer are viewable only at the display size.  For example, with Blogger I could upload a 1024x768 pixel image but display it at, say, 256x192.  If the reader “clicked” on the reduced size image, the original uploaded size image would show in a separate window.  This feature was not needed for all images but handy for a more critical view.  I want my PAW images to be viewable at 1024x768 pixels. 

I’d always intended to make a PAW section in my SmugMug gallery so I’ve done that.  I edited the PAW 5 post to link the image to the PAW section in SmugMug. 

Of course, the Blogger editor had reached the point to where it was not working for me so I still prefer Live Writer.

PAW 5

 

My dad loved woodworking. He made a clock (and many other things) for me.  On giving me the clock he told the story of making it – including showing me every mistake he’d made.  I have the same tendency with photographs in spite of myself.

This week’s picture was supposed to be a very simple one and very quickly done.  I wanted a picture that showed the pedaling action on my stationary bike (call it proof of exercise!).  It seemed to me that dragging the shutter would show the blur and a quick pop of the flash would freeze a bit of detail.  Although I tried many combinations, that simple approach just did not work out.  I finally realized that more than one pop of flash was needed.  This shot was taken with the G12, Canon 580EX (still using the NiZn batteries) directly mounted on the camera and RF-602 remote trigger to trigger the G12. 

The G12 was set to ISO 80, manual focus and manual exposure at 1 second and f8.  This setting gave a slightly underexposed image without the effects of flash.  The 580EX was set to stroboscopic flash mode; I think something like 8 flashes at 8Hz and around 1/16 power.  The 580EX was fitted with a green gel to somewhat match the overhead florescent lighting and also a Stofen diffuser.  I think the flash was pointed directly at the pedals in this one.  The room is small with many reflective surfaces.  I also tried bouncing the light off the freezer and washing machine; frankly, all looked about the same.

It worked!

Windows Live Writer worked and worked well the first time I used it. 

In the process of changing the look and feel of Light Description (a new template from Blogger, not related to Live Writer), some of the statistical data tracking was lost.  I finally remembered that a piece of code had to be pasted into the template and have now done that (I think). 

Not photography, I know, but part of learning to blog.

Windows Live Writer

 

Here’s my first attempt at using Windows Live Writer instead of the Blogger Editor.  So far, so good.  Installation of Live Writer was simple and setup was almost completely automatic.  In fact, the process so far has been so easy that I’ll be surprised if Live Writer actually works!

Although when using a new camera I’m inclined to read the manual, I don’t go to that extreme when using new software.  Plus, the Live Writer menus and options appear to be relatively familiar and simple.  It is easy to forget – and forgivable to have never known – that, not too long ago, user interfaces for nearly all computer programs were different.  Instruction manuals were absolutely an essential read and study.  Windows and the mouse (thanks be to  Apple <-- Xerox) changed all that to the point that software instruction manuals are often available only on disk and now rarely read except in case of emergency/frustration. 

In contrast to software and software manuals, consider cameras.   Not that long ago (but before computers), there were only three adjustments to be made to the camera:  aperture, shutter speed and focus (and my first camera, a Kodak Brownie Holiday Flash, had no adjustments).  Although the adjustment devices might have different locations or movements, the actual adjustment was largely intuitive between cameras (after the initiation to the fact that there even were adjustments!).  Even as cameras became somewhat automated and the ASA film speed (now the ISO sensitivity) was incorporated into the system, the actual setting of the camera controls remained relatively simple.  The instruction manual for my 1972 Konica T2 was 71 pages – which included the English, French, Spanish and German versions! 

In contrast to my classic Konica T2, the manual for my Canon G12 is 213 pages in length – available only as a pdf file -- and that is only the English version!  Of course, the T2 didn’t even have a clock much less auto focus, video, playback or a real time display; however, I have to think that the lack of a common camera user interface (dare I say CCUI – no, I dislike acronyms) is the major reason for the substantial operating manuals that are required for modern cameras.  Someday there will be a common user interface and camera operation will again become almost intuitive.

(Wow, I began this post as a test case of Live Writer but it developed into a thoughtful – for me – essay.  Now to save this text just in case Live Writer does not work and then hit the publish button.)

A New Look for Light Description

I've been wanting to try a new look for Light Description for some time now and finally took a deep breath and made the plunge.  Of course, as you can see, I did not wander too far from the old layout! 

As it turns out, the template that I originally selected must have been outdated long ago and therefore some of the newer features do not apply to it.  My main complaint has become a difficulty in uploading pictures.  I hope this new format will resolve that problem.  I also wanted to increase the screen width of the blog page and that could not be easily done with the old template.

Bummer.  Just tried to upload an image and the Blogger Editor balked just as it did with the old template.

I will probably try a new editor, Windows Live Writer, instead of the Blogger Editor -- hope I don't mess up the old posts!